The Final Battle
by Brock's Geodude
Summary: Having made it all the way to the final battle with Steven, the Hoenn League Champion, can Ash pull off a victory and become Pokemon Master? And how will Misty react if Ash's dream finally comes true? (Part 2 now up, read & review!)
1. Commencing the Battle

The Final Battle  
  
-Disclaimer thingy: I have no financial ties to Pokemon, etc, etc, etc. You know the drill. -A/N: This might become AAML later, so if you're reading it for that, stay tuned!  
  
-part 1-  
  
"It's a beautiful summer day here in Ever Grande City!" the stadium announcer boomed. "We're about to witness a historic battle right here in this stadium, as young Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town challenges Pokemon Master and current League Champion Steven Stone. If Ketchum wins, he will become the youngest Pokemon Master in history! I can almost feel the excitement in the crowd as the two trainers prepare for battle! Everyone, get ready for an intense, 6-on-6 match!"  
  
"Brock, I don't think I've ever been so nervous!" Misty Spring commented to her friend Brock Slate. Misty's Togetic, hovering next to her, chirped a couple of times in agreement.  
  
Brock smirked. "If you think you're nervous, imagine how Ash must feel."  
  
"Yep, and I bet under all that nervousness, he's pretty impressed that you came all this way from Cerulean City just to see him battle." May White, sitting on Misty's left, couldn't resist teasing her new friend. After they had met earlier in the group's journey through Hoenn, May had quickly suspected Misty's secret. Misty just sighed. She was concentrating too much on watching Ash prepare for battle to rebuke the young contest coordinator. May's younger brother, Max, didn't say anything. He was too focused on the battle, almost as much as Ash was. He was elated, since this was his first chance to see the Hoenn League Champion battle in an official match. The three friends fell silent and waited from their seats in the stands.  
  
"I gotta remember to thank Brock for reminding me to do research on Steven," Ash thought as he took several deep breaths and tried to psyche himself up and calm his nervousness. "If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have known that Steven trains mostly Steel-type Pokemon. Now I have a carefully planned team to battle him with." Ash looked across the field at his opponent. Steven was a tall, distinguished-looking man whose hair had gone prematurely gray, but the sunlight made it almost look silver. As was his custom for important battles that challenged his position, he was dressed in an expensive-looking business suit. To him, a professional image helped intimidate the opponent. Ash, however, having faced down several legendary Pokemon on various occasions without flinching, and who had even sacrificed himself once to stop a fight between two of them, was hardly put off by a guy in a suit.  
  
"OK," the announcer continued, "the computer will now decide who gets to make the first move. As experienced trainers know, the trainer who makes the first move is at a disadvantage, because the opponent is free to counter whatever Pokemon has been chosen." On the JumboTron above the flat, grassy field, a spinner spun around a roulette-like wheel that had six sections alternating in blue and white colors. If it stopped on a blue section, Ash would make the first choice. A white section would mean Steven's Pokemon would be revealed first. The spinner stopped, barely touching a blue section of the wheel.  
  
Ash knew this meant he had to go first, but he was still confident. He turned to his best Pokemon-friend, Pikachu. "Are ya ready, buddy? You're up first!"  
  
"Pika!" the electric mouse exclaimed eagerly as it hopped off the platform Ash was standing on and onto the field.  
  
"I sort of suspected that you'd lead off with your Pikachu," Steven commented in a slightly cocky voice. He brushed a strand of spiky silver hair out of his face, pulled out a Pokeball of his own, and tossed it. "Aggron, go!"  
  
"So, Aggron, we meet again," Ash said to himself, remembering his encounter with Steven and Aggron near Dewford Town.  
  
"So, the challenger leads off with Pikachu, while Steven counters with his Aggron!" the stadium announcer barked. "Can Pikachu's speed prevail against Aggron's pure power? We'll soon find out!"  
  
"Uh-oh," said Misty from her seat in the stands, "Aggron is going to be a tough opponent."  
  
"Mm-hmm," agreed Brock, next to her. "Aggron isn't a Ground type though, it has qualities of both Rock and Steel Pokemon, so Pikachu's Electric attacks will be as effective as always, but."  
  
"But," Max interrupted, knowing what Brock was about to say, "Even though it's not a Ground-type, it can still learn Ground-type attacks, which can do serious damage to Pikachu." The young navigator of the group turned back to the battle. "This is gonna get interesting."  
  
Just then, the referee raised a flag. "Let the match begin!" he called.  
  
"Aggron, start with Mud-Slap!" commanded Steven. He figured the best way to gain an advantage over a faster opponent was to blind them temporarily first, then strike when they're down.  
  
"Pikachu, dodge it using Agility!" called Ash.  
  
Aggron tried desperately to fling mud in the direction of Pikachu, but Pikachu was just too quick. Aggron's head could barely follow the speedy Electric-type, much less attack it. Ash waited for an opportunity when Aggron was looking to one side, but Pikachu had zipped the other way. He quickly found it. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt now!" he called. Pikachu immediately let off a powerful arc of Electric energy, scoring a dead-on hit. The Iron Armor Pokemon roared as the electricity coursed through its body.  
  
Steven didn't even flinch from the unexpected attack. Without missing a beat, he called out, "Aggron, Earthquake!"  
  
"Quick, Pikachu, jump onto Aggron's head!" Ash countered.  
  
Aggron braced itself and prepared to make a jump in which the landing would set off an Earthquake. For a split-second, Ash was grateful that the reinforced platforms with surrounding guardrails that he and Steven stood on had been specially designed to withstand any kind of attack. But now Ash needed to concentrate on the battle if he had any hope of winning, he couldn't let his mind wander in the least. Just as Aggron was about to land, Pikachu reached it and leaped, barely avoiding serious damage from an Earthquake. The ground shook with a deafening noise, but Pikachu had taken no damage. The little yellow Pokemon wrapped its arms tightly around one of Aggron's horns. Aggron stumbled around, shaking its head, trying to shake Pikachu off, but Pikachu's grip was strong.  
  
"That's the way, Pikachu!" Ash congratulated it. "Now, use your Thunder attack!"  
  
The little Electric-type strained, summoning its most powerful attack. A tall, solid, yellowish-white field of electricity formed around both opponents as the Thunder attack scored a dead-on, close-range hit. Aggron roared in pain again, then collapsed. The referee pointed one flag low to Aggron's side of the field, and another flag straight up on Pikachu's side. "Aggron is unable to battle. Pikachu wins!"  
  
"Wow," said May, in the stands, "I didn't expect a powerful Pokemon like Aggron to fall so quickly. Ash must have really thought this out."  
  
"Well, you know," Max interrupted again, not taking his eyes off the field, "Aggron is powerful, yes, but its strength lies in its physical attacks. A skilled trainer can still beat an Aggron using special attacks and speed, and that's just what Ash did."  
  
"Max is right," said Brock, "I just hope Ash can keep this up."  
  
"Us too," May and Misty agreed.  
  
Down on the field, Steven was surprised as well, but he was nowhere near finished yet. Holding Aggron's Pokeball straight out at arm's length, he commanded, "Aggron, return!" The familiar reddish, transparent beam shot out from the ball, enveloping the powerful Rock/Steel type and carrying it back inside its Pokeball. "You did a great job, Aggron. I underestimated that Pikachu of his." Replacing the Pokeball on his belt, Steven made his second choice. "OK, now let's see how that Pikachu handles this!" he exclaimed, tossing another Pokeball. "Steelix, I choose you!" The iron snake Pokemon materialized with a roar, staring sternly down at its tiny opponent.  
  
"Great job, Pikachu, return!" said Ash. He knew it was best to save Pikachu until later, and switch to a Pokemon that had a more clear advantage against the Steel/Ground type Steelix. Ash had planned for his; he knew just who he was going to use. Pikachu ran back to the platform's supports, and up the short ladder to sit next to Ash and watch. Selecting a Pokeball from his belt, he tossed it out on the field. "Crawdaunt, I choose you!" The Water/Dark-type lobster-like Pokemon materialized, brandishing its claws.  
  
"So, after losing one of his battlers so far, Steven has chosen a Steelix to continue the match, and Ash has countered with his Crawdaunt! Can Steelix overpower Crawdaunt with sheer strength, or will Crawdaunt's Water attacks prove too much for this Ground-type? The crowd awaits the answer!" 


	2. Steelix vs Crawdaunt

-part 2-  
  
Down on the battlefield, both opponents put their full concentration into the battle, ignoring the stadium announcer who seemed to like stating the obvious. Steven made the first command. "Go, Steelix! Hide yourself in a Sandstorm!" The Iron Snake Pokemon promptly obeyed. It straightened up and made as much of itself vertical as it could, then began spinning the rocks on its body, whipping up dirt from the field to create a sandstorm. The sandstorm enveloped it from all sides, so neither the trainers nor its opponent could see it. The sand was quickly making its way toward Crawdaunt as well, threatening to partially blind it.  
  
"You're not gonna fool me that easily!" the undaunted Ash responded. "Crawdaunt, blow the sand away with your Swords Dance!" Crawdaunt pointed both claws out from its body on opposite sides and started spinning rapidly, gradually approaching the area not far in front of it where it had last seen Steelix. The move was successfully blowing back the sand, but it wasn't long before Ash realized that Steelix was no longer where it last was. Instead, all that could be seen was a deep hole. 'Hmmm.' Ash thought, 'it must have used Dig while Crawdaunt was blowing the sand away. Gotta be careful here.' Straining his ears, he heard a rumbling sound from below. Ash knew then what was going to happen. "Crawdaunt, Protect, now!" he cried. The lobster-like Pokemon stopped spinning and drew its claws in front of its body. Criss-crossing them, it concentrated, creating a semi- transparent bubble of whitish light around its body. The rumbling grew louder, and Steelix suddenly thrust itself out of the ground, directly under Crawdaunt. The lobster-like Pokemon was sent flying, but the protective bubble kept it from taking any damage. It landed upright to the right of the platform Ash was standing on, then the bubble popped.  
  
"Great job!" Ash congratulated Crawdaunt. "Now it's our turn to go on the attack! Use your Bubblebeam!" Before Steven could react or Steelix could do anything, Crawdaunt rushed forward and launched a flurry of bubbles from its claws, striking the iron snake and causing serious damage. Steelix cringed as the stream of bubbles connected.  
  
"Don't back down, Steelix!" its trainer urged. "Focus on your strengths and attack right back! Use your Double-Edge!" Steelix coiled its body back as the bubbles were still coming, then sprang at Crawdaunt, using its entire body as a weapon.  
  
"Crawdaunt, quick, use Harden!" Ash countered. The lobster braced itself and strained, its body glinting in the sunlight, showing that its outer shell had stiffened up. That was all it had time to do, though, since Steelix immediately collided with it. Its Harden absorbed the attack somewhat, but not enough to prevent it from being knocked back into the wall behind Ash with terrific force. "Oh, no! Crawdaunt, can you still battle? Please try to get up!" Ash shouted over to the Water/Dark type.  
  
"Get up, Crawdaunt, you can do it!" cheered May from the stands, even though she knew the Pokemon couldn't possibly hear her voice over the crowd.  
  
Misty echoed the cheer, and felt under her seat for what seemed like the millionth time to make sure the present she had brought for Ash was still there in its little box, keeping her eyes on the field the whole time. She hoped Brock and May weren't looking, but like herself, they were probably focused on the battle. If they noticed how often Misty had checked on it, it certainly would have given them grounds to tease her further. She didn't dare glance at them, for fear she might miss something down on the field. She would give Ash the present whether he won or not, but she certainly hoped Ash did win. It was his lifetime dream after all, and it had almost become her dream as well, knowing him for as long as she had. If he did win, the moment would be perfect, Misty thought, for her other surprise - to tell him how she really felt about him. She had kept it in long enough, and a run-in with an old friend from Shamouti Island convinced her to finally do it. She couldn't think about her own reasons for being there anymore though. Ash's battle was more important, to him and to Misty. She wanted him to be happy with all her heart, and would do her best as a member of his cheering section to give him moral support.  
  
Behind Misty sat her longtime friend, Professor Oak, next to Ash's mother, Delia Ketchum. Also in that row were Professors Westwood, Elm, and Birch, all of whom had great respect for Ash as a trainer and were very interested in the outcome of the battle. Misty knew that many other people they had met and befriended on their journey were also in the crowd, including Richie, Gary, Duplica, Luna, Melody, and others. Misty wasn't even the only Gym Leader in attendance. Several Leaders from all three Pokemon Leagues, as well as the Orange Islands, had come to watch. It wasn't every day that the world's best trainer was challenged for his title, after all. Brock didn't know it, but even Professor Ivy was in attendance, although Professor Oak had advised her beforehand to sit somewhere else so as not to disturb the breeder.  
  
Back on the field, the referee was focusing his attention on the downed Crawdaunt and was about to raise his flag, but Crawdaunt managed to struggle to its feet at the last second. "All right! I knew you could do it!" Ash cried.  
  
"Continue the match!" the ref shouted, returning to his position halfway down on a side wall.  
  
"Crawdaunt, Bubblebeam again!" Ash commanded. Steelix was too far away to get in another Double-Edge before Crawdaunt could fire its bubbles, so Ash thought this surely would end the match, considering the damage the last Bubblebeam did.  
  
Steven, however, had other ideas. "Not so fast! Steelix, Earthquake!" he ordered. The Steel/Ground type immediately slammed its body into the ground with incredible force, shaking the entire battlefield. In Crawdaunt's weakened state, it couldn't withstand the vibrations and remain on its feet. The lobster Pokemon fell over on its side, the powerful Earthquake simply proving too much for it to take.  
  
Looking at Crawdaunt's swirly-eyed expression, the ref pointed one flag at it, and raised the other one. "Crawdaunt is unable to battle. The winner is Steven and his Steelix!"  
  
Recalling Crawdaunt to its Pokeball and thanking it, Ash realized that even though most of his Pokemon had type advantages, it was going to take a lot more than just that to beat this veteran, highly skilled trainer. He had been aware of it beforehand, but experiencing it now with his own eyes redoubled his desire to prove himself and defeat the world's best trainer. They each now had one of their Pokemon defeated, and Ash was determined not to let Steven gain the advantage. Deciding on pure power to try and regain the upper hand, Ash chose his next Pokeball from his belt and tossed it out on the field. "I choose you, Charizard!" A couple of months previously, having finally finished its training in the Charicific Valley, Charizard had expressed its desire to rejoin Ash's team permanently. Ash already had a strong all-around Fire-type in Torkoal, but Charizard had seemed to easily accept a split role with Torkoal as Ash's main Fire-type, being sent back to Professor Oak's lab when it was Torkoal's turn to train. One factor in that acceptance seemed to be that once Liza found out about this, she visited Professor Oak's estate regularly with Charla, her Charizard, with whom Ash's Charizard had fallen in love. Charizard had become very happy, since it now had the best of both worlds. It was back with Ash AND it had a regular girlfriend.  
  
The great red dragon-like Fire type emerged from its Pokeball with a roar, and stared down its Steel-type opponent, who had been significantly weakened already by Crawdaunt's Bubblebeam. Steven knew that the field had been set up with underground rocks and boulders to support the Rock-type attacks that some of his Pokemon possessed, but in this case, he wasn't sure if Steelix had enough stamina left to pull off even one Rock Slide. Still, as the current Pokemon League Champion, he wasn't allowed to switch out in this battle, similar to the rule that existed in all Pokemon League Gyms, so he thought he could at least do as much damage as possible before Steelix fainted. On the other side of the field, Ash was feeling fairly confident. Not only was he using one of his strongest Pokemon, it also had a type advantage over the already weakened opponent. Still, having seen his Crawdaunt lose to that Steelix, Ash warned himself not to let his confidence get the best of him.  
  
Between the two trainers and against one wall, the referee crossed his flags in front of him, then pointed them at each Pokemon. "Resume the match!" he shouted. 


End file.
